I had the opportunity to get a sneak preview of the Atlanta Symphony Decorators’ Show House and Gardens last week, and once again it is a marvel to behold! This year’s house an 18,000 square foot house called ‘Tuffeau’, and is a chateau inspired design by residential designer Bill Baker. I always love the Symphony Show House, as it is by far the most ambitious show house of the year, and is a great way to get a feel for what is inspiring the top designers in Atlanta. This year over 40 designers created their vision for the 30 plus spaces in the house and on the grounds, and there is something to appeal to every design enthusiast – the traditional, the transitional, and the contemporary are all represented, with some common themes - bold use of color, amazing art, and well edited collections.

I have been working on a post for days, but finally decided to break it down into a couple of posts – it was getting too long! So, for those of you who subscribe to my blog by email, don’t be surprised to see more frequent posts over the next few days.

Photo credit: Jeff Roffman

Today’s post will be about the house. I have been aware of this house for years, as construction started in 2008, and continued during the timeframe when I was building my house. Over the past few years, I have often driven past this house to check out the progress.

I learned a few months ago that this would be the location for the 2013 Symphony Show House, and have been looking forward to getting a close look at the architecture of the house, both inside and out. Apparently the owner is a gentleman who sourced architectural components for the house from around the world, and used materials for some of the spaces (the kitchen counters, one made out of a beautiful quartz and another made out of a sprayed metal come to mind) that are incredibly rare or very new to the market.

According to the ASO website, this “Buckhead estate…is a grand chateau inspired by the great architecture of France. The house is considered to be one of William T. Baker’s finest works and is a testament to the fine craftsmanship and tasteful detailing characteristic of Baker’s architecture. The house is entirely clad in French limestone and, with its slate roof and zinc dormers, is a faithful interpretation of the great houses found outside Paris. The exciting interiors incorporate architectural antiques such as leaded windows, French paneling, and marble mantles. The wood parquet floors and casement windows with their decorative cremone bolts complete the effect.”

A close up of one of the windows on the front. The final landscaping was still going in when we were waiting to enter the house, which explains the mulch on the path.

A peek at the leaded glass windows in the front of the house. Leaded glass with intricate designs are a feature seen throughout the house. A glimpse of some of the décor inside can be seen.

A view of the stonework on the wings that flank the house. I always love quoins – one of my early blog posts (back in 2007) was about quoins as an architectural element.

The Atlanta Symphony Show House and Gardens is open through May 12. Tickets are $25, and can be purchased at the door. The house is located at 3495 Old Plantation Road, Atlanta. There is a shuttle service to and from the house. For more information, please visitwww.decoratorshowhouse.org.

Wow! That house is so beautiful! I especially love the leaded glass windows in the front. It is too bad they are in the little crevices of the house, you can't see them quite as well from the front. It is still a beautiful house, thanks for sharing!

Hi Holly..a beautiful home indeed! So stately.....I can't wait to see the inside, hope they stayed true to the classic architecture. I LOVE showhouses and am excited because there are a few around here coming up that I cannot wait to go to. Hope alls well and hope spring has sprung over there!

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